So yesterday, I noticed my backup of my files (I use a synchronization) to Backup EHD didn’t work.  I didn’t have time to look into yesterday.  Today, the backup fails again.   Two failed backups in a row is not a good sign.   During the backup today, I started getting I/O errors.  I can browse my Backup EHD but it still looks okay.  So far so good.  So I use Western Digital diagnostic to do a quick check.  It has a big red failure on it.   Hmm, that’s not good.  I tried to run Western Digital’s repair tool and it hung.  Uh oh.  Ran ChkDsk and it reported bad sectors (bad spots on the disk) and tried to fix them and hung.  Definitely looking bad.  In the meantime, I start shopping to see the latest deals.  I am now in the process of reformatting the EHD and hoping to salvage the drive itself  (during a reformat it can detect the errors and stop using them)  that’s assuming that more bad sectors aren’t created.   We’ll see.  I am not very optimistic.

Did I lose anything?  Nope.  The EHD that is failing is my Backup EHD.   Which means it only contains the copies of everything from the my main EHD and my laptop.  What it does mean is right now I am not currently backed up.  Now that scares me!  If the format fails, I will be being a new EHD tomorrow. 

Because of this, I do want to share a few things. 

Pay attention to your computer errors.  I noticed one failure and then a few I/O errors.  If this was a hard drive that had important things on it, I would be busy copying files off of it.  In this case, I actually could browse the drive and could have gotten all my files off if I wished.  I am guessing that complete utter failure wouldn’t have happened for a few days.  (By formatting I am pushing it to work or fail.)  Of the hard drives that have failed in our household, most have been a slow death (start getting more and more errors) and I was able to get files off that I wasn’t sure were backed up. Only one drive failure was a spectacular crash of it just not working that day or ever.  So pay attention to those errors and you might just have a chance to salvage something.

Backup, Backup, Backup!  If this was my main EHD drive or my laptop drive, I wouldn’t be quite as calm but at least I know I would have backups and it would just take some time to resort things out. 

Shopping

Oh and I just had to share, check out these colors from Western Digital:

They must know that there are digital scrappers that love EHD’s.

All my EHD’s have been Western Digital with 2 of them failing now.  So I think I am going to branch out and try a different brand.  I saw a 500 GB Seagate EHD for sale for $99 at Office Max and I have in store coupon for $15.  That’s a nice deal! 

I haven’t checked out the rest of the sales, so I gotta go do that. 

As for how that formatting is going??  Well, let’s just say, it sure looks like I am going shopping tomorrow for a new Backup EHD.

I’ve seen a number of people comment that they burn disks for backups or image storage, but then have trouble with them getting scratched, misplaced, etc. So the question is - how to keep track of them all?

There are many items available for disk storage - but my favorite is this Hanging File Disk Storage. We have 5 at my house.

This hold CD’s & DVD’s in double sided hanging file folder type sleeves & maximizes space. Each box holds 120 disks! There’s a push button to open each drawer. And the units stack nicely. The dimensions are 6.75″ (h) x 13.4″ (w) x 7.7″ (d). They can be purchased here at J & R Music World (a great source for blank disks too!).

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Ok - this may be a lot of enabling, but I will add in some education with it about choosing a memory card for your camera. Before Christmas I purchased a new camera that can take 3.5 photos per minute and I learned that not all memory cards are equal. Did you know that they have different writing speeds? In other words some are better for continuous shooting (which I LOVE! but that’s for another time).

I just found this at Amazon: A 2 gig memory card at a GREAT price and it’s a high speed one: Write/Read Performance: 9MB/sec, 10MB/sec (the others only write/read at 3 MB/sec). And this one also has allows avoids the need for a card reader. Check this out: This ground-breaking card gives you the capability to connect your SD card directly into a USB port by transforming into a USB adapter, via our unique hinged cover, eliminating the need for any readers to offload content to a PC.

SanDisk 2 GB Ultra II SD Plus USB Card $36.99 & FREE Shipping

SanDisk’s Ultra II is the high-performance digital memory solution for the serious photographers. This family of outstanding flash cards provides the durability and high-speed quality needed for advanced amateur photographers and photo enthusiasts. SanDisk’s newest addition is the innovative Ultra II SD Plus USB, which combines USB and SD functionality in a single card. The ubiquity of this new format eliminates the need for a reader or PC card adapter, as it transforms from an SD card to a USB adapter with our unique hinged cover. The superior value for providing two products in one makes this the most unique SD card in the market.

(I may just need to get one!)

I LOVE to fly and my experience with layovers in airports has taught me that wheels are a necessity. (Or I should pack less in my carry on - but that probably won’t happen!). Flying out of rural America means lots of connections & I want to be able to shop comfortably in the Denver airport. Seriously - they have some great shops there! My favorite is the jewelry store…
So how do you protect your laptop when you fly? It’s unthinkable to leave it home! When I went to New Orleans last summer for work, I LOVED having my work laptop with to check on local sites, restaurants & menu prices online. Granted I had prepared in advance, I still wanted to connect online. (yes - I AM addicted). Now I have this 17″ laptop (my investment) & I wanted something with wheels.
After doing some research online - I purchased this Contour Roller by Kensington (model 62348). There are more images at the website.

If you like zippers & pockets & a place for everything! This is for you. I am very tall at 5′8″ and the telescoping handle at 3/4 is perfect, so extend it all the way & it would be great for men too! When you put the telescoping handle down, it tidyly zips out of site. My 17″ laptop fits in snugly & there would be room to carry up to two EHD’s - can we say digiscrapping crops? The person that designed this bag did a great job!

How much you say? Well that’s the amazing part - it can be purchased for $60-100 and the reviews are phenomonal. (I do a lot of online purchasing - did I mention I’m geographically challenged? quite rural — and read reviews). It’s available at Amazon, Circuit City & ebags.com

Happy travels to you. Mine will hit the skies soon!

Here is the first way to keep your computer in tip top shape. A good thorough cleaning can improve the performance of your computer. How often should you do it? That depends on the environment & how often you use your computer. At my house, it’s not often enough - but these tips are good guidelines for when you are ready to do it. (And for those of you on a schedule - every few months is perfect).

- turn off the computer before cleaning

- never spray liquids on any computer parts - spray it on a cloth & then rub down the component

- use a vacuum to clean the outside of the computer - but never on the inside because the vacuum creates static electricity that can cause damage to your computer components

- avoid using solvents; try to use water or highly diluted solvents if necessary

- when cleaning be careful not to adjust knobs or controls; and make sure no plugs get disconnected

- when cleaning fans - especially small fans in laptops -place something in the fan blades to keep it from spinning as the force from canned air may cause damage

- avoid eating or drinking around the computer
What will you need?

- a cloth is better than paper towels

- water or rubbing alcohol; other solvents may be bad for the plastic in your computer

- cotton swabs are good for cleaning in those hard to reach areas in the keyboard, mouse, etc

Cleaning the case -
- use a lint free cloth dampened with water; for stains add a little household detergent to the cloth

- vacuum around all holes & vents - a steady airflow is important for proper cooling

Disc drive cleaning - a dirty disc drive can cause read errors

- purchase a CD-ROM cleaner & follow the directions - you will use a special disc from the package

CD / DVD cleaning - if they’re dirty, they can have read errors or not read at all

- use a clean cotton cloth and wipe against the tracks, starting from the middle of the disc & towards the outside of the CD. Never wipe with the tracks, this may make more scratches on the disc. (Only use water to clean CD’s)

Keyboard cleaning

- compressed air is better than turning the keyboard over & shaking it. The ‘canned’ air comes with a long nozzle. Aim the air between the keys & blow away the dust. A vacuum can be used if there are no loose keys.

- if a liquid is spilled on the keyboard - turn the computer off & turn the keyboard upside down over an area that you don’t mind getting wet. Use a cloth to clean it off as best you can. Leave it upside down to dry.

Laptop LCD screen -

- avoid spraying directly on the screen or using paper towels (they can scratch it)

- use a soft cotton cloth; if a dry cloth doesn’t clean the screen, rubbing alcohol can be used

- Special monitor wipes can be bought at stores.

Monitor cleaning -

- if the monitor is made of glass - a regular household cleaner can be used - but again don’t spray directly on the glass

Mouse cleaning -

- if you’re using a mouse with a roller ball - turn it over & see which way the mouse cover should be rotated. Put two fingers on the mouse cover & rotate it. Turn it over & catch the tracking ball in your hand. Use a cotton swab or your finger to clean each of the 3 rollers inside of the mouse. Usually there is a small line in the middle of the roller. Remove as much dirt as possible.

Clean the tracking ball with a cloth. Place it in the mouse & replace the cover by twisting it back into place. Cleaning the mouse pad is also helpful

Flatbead Scanner cleaning -

- Spray window cleaner on a paper towel or cotton cloth & wipe until the glass is clean.

Now quit looking the other way… because, yes! I am talking to you. (Your computer would appreciate you so much if you would consider some regular computer maintenance.) I know, I know, it’s hard… but you will be thankful when your computer isn’t all gummed up inside. I think that people are tempted to buy a new computer….. when they could just do some routine things & greatly extend the life of their computer & save on their pocketbooks (more to spend on digiscrapping kits? maybe!).
I challenge you to consider doing these things on a regular basis:

1 - physically clean your keyboard, monitor, mouse, computer vents? (yes! chase those dust bunnies! I took one to my computer dr’s house - wasn’t that generous on my part?)

2 - Virus checker - do you have current virus protection? run a scan & set up a schedule

3 - Windows Updates - either turn them on so they update automatically or do them manually

4 - Spyware - this can really clog your computer - what is it & how to make it go away

5 - Startup menu - minimize how much is running in the background.

6 - Defrag - how to get ready for it & how to do it & why is it necessary?

Is there anything you want to add to the list? Add it in the comments & we’ll cover it. These topics will keep us busy for awhile!

Long ago I never thought I would need an external hard drive, commonly abbreviated as EHD. I bought ACDSee Photo Manager so that I could make offline discs & thought that would be ok. But it is a bit of a pain…then my sister started talking about the need to backup. WHO ME?! I suppose, but I never have (except of my photos when my desktop was threatening to die). Then my friend Ernie (Simplyred) convinced me that losing everything would be sad….and now I’m set up to do it with ACDSee and my two 260 gig ehd’s.
So, if you’ve been wondering about adding more memory or backing up - I hope you find her information useful! Here’s what my sister has to say about buying ehd’s & she’s been buying them…

Information about buying EHD’s, using an EHD, and other common questions